Dandelion (bitter, alterative)

Medicine of  Dandelions: Dandelion is a primo liver healer and strengthener. We can live without our fingers, we can lose an arm and still keep going, but we can't live without our liver! The liver performs more than 500 different metabolic and digestive functions each day, including bile production and processing of proteins and fats. Its main function is to filter and process nutrient laden venous blood that is delivered to it directly from the digestive organs. It is a recycling center for toxins, drugs, and alcohol.

Dandelion is a digestive bitter. It heals, nourishes, and balances the entire digestive tract, including the liver. Our entire digestive system comprises our mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, large and small intestines, and colon. The small intestine is where 80% of the body's relaxing neurotransmitters are created, and 70% of immune activity occurs. By strengthening and nourishing the digestive tract, including the small intestine, dandelion helps a body have healthier nerve function and better immunity.

Dandelion helps the digestive system to obtain full nutrition from the foods we eat by increasing liver bile and pancreatic enzyme productions. It stimulates gallbladder contractions to release bile into the small intestine, increases hydrochloric acid production in the stomach and more complete metabolization of food. Dandelion heals and supports the mucous producing goblet cells which line the entire alimentary canal, increasing healthy protective mucous and relieving heart burn. Dandelion tones and nourishes the spleen, skin, nerves, kidneys, glands, urinary, circulatory, lymph, and gallbladder. Dandelions can aid in reduction of uric acid and reducing edema in the joints. Dandelions can be a good herbal aid for treating inflammatory diseases such as chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database shows 135 active chemicals in dandelions (1). Dandelion stimulates appetite and elimination of both gases and solids, which is helpful to those with mobility issues. That’s a lot of healing and nutrition from a plant that most people try to eradicate from their yard and garden. 

Medicinal constituents: What’s interesting to me is not just that plants do certain things - such as “dandelion is good for the liver” - but how are they doing these things? Why are they doing the things they do? This is what spurs me on to research constituents in plants. It has given me the ability to have a deeper understanding of the plants, make better choices when creating formulas and help to choose the correct menstrum for extracting and preserving each constituent or group of constituents. It has made me a better teacher and medicine maker. 

Read more:

https://www.herbrally.com/monographs/dandelion